The New Girl
by Obviously Oblivious
Summary: SVJH fic...Arieah moves in...watch out Lizzy! ~~Chapter 7 now uploaded~~
1. Arieah

1 Disclaimer: I don't own any of SVJH, characters or places, only Arieah is my character. Don't sue me, I don't have that much money in my piggy bank.  
  
2 SWEET VALLEY JUNIOR HIGH—THE NEW GIRL  
  
2.1 Arieah  
  
"Last box Arieah!" Mum called up the stairs to me.  
  
"Sure Mum! I'll be right there to get it, maybe it's got my proper clothes in it!"  
  
I bounced down the stairs, long dark blonde hair flapping behind me. 'This is so great!' I thought eagerlly to myself 'For two whole days I've had to wear these gross old clothes while my new stuff was in storage, now I can finally wear some decent clothes!'  
  
I picked up the box, feeling that it was a bit heavy on the bottom, and realised that it probably had my shoes in it too. "It's a loverly day today!" I sung loudly to myself. In my room, which had been recently redecorated, I dumped the box on my four poster bed.  
  
Glancing happilly around the room, I was greeted by the mid-purple paint on the walls, and my curtains, sky blue with stars stenciled in a row on the bottom edge. On the back wall that my bed backs onto, I had painted wild swirls in retro purple and blue. I absolutely love my new room.  
  
I sighed and tore open the box's lid. "Clothes, clothes, clothes, I love you so." I murmmured to myself. I grabbed my favourite new outfit and instantly went to get changed.  
  
I emmerged wearing dark purple bell bottom jeans with silver studs down the outside leg seam, glittery silver singlet top and wore my waist length hair loose as I normally do.  
  
I rustled through my box and found my favourite shoes, black platforms with purple glitter swirls over the sides.  
  
"Mum!" I called loudly "Do you know where my huge hoop earings are?!"  
  
"Check in that small shoe box Teeny!" she yelled back.  
  
I located the box and got my earings. Walking down the stairs carefully to not trip in the three inch heels, I called out  
  
"Mum, when are those other interior designers comin' over?"  
  
Mum was in the kitchen, "In about, oh my god is that the time?! In twenty minutes Teeny, I totally lost track of the time!"  
  
I moved, trying not to trip over the boxes in the hallway to the kitchen. When I saw mum, I realised how different we are.  
  
Me with the bright glittery daring clothes, and Mum with conservative 'Mum' clothes.  
  
"Isn't it just a tiny bit too cluttered in our house to entertain?" I asked, puzzled.  
  
"The back patio dear, is clean!"mum said jokingly.  
  
DING DONG!!  
  
"Get that would you Arieah? I think it's them."  
  
On my way to the front door, I noticed a box sitting in the hall way. 'Can't have guests tripping over this' I thought as I lifted it up to carry it into the living room. The lid was open so I peeked a look inside to see if it was more of her stuff. 'All our photos from Australia,' I thought fondly 'i hope i don't miss the sunshine too much.'  
  
I pulled a photo out and gasped suddenly as I saw it. "Dad," I choaked out. It was a photo of me and mum and dad, before he died. There I was, long dark blonde hair shining, my dad standing beside me grinning hugely. I wiped away a tear, careful not to smudge my mascara. "why'd you have to get cancer?" I whispered to myself and to the photo.  
  
'Oh, the door.' I thought suddenly, kicking myself out of the saddness photo's always causes me.  
  
"I'll be there in a minute!" I called to the people outside of the door.  
  
I was almost at the door when my mum yelled out  
  
"ARIEAH! Can you help me with this!"mum's voice came from the patio.  
  
"I thought you wanted me to answer the door," I muttered to myself "COMING MUM!" I yelled back.  
  
To the people outside the door, "Just be a sec, don't go anywhere!"  
  
Flicking my long hair irritably over my shoulder, I walked quickly out to the patio.  
  
"What do you want me to do Mum?"  
  
"Just get those platters from the kitchen and put them on the table please." mum replied, flustered.  
  
"ok..." I said and went back into the house.  
  
The platters were filled with vegetarian foods. Neither of us eat red meat, altough we still eat chicken and fish.  
  
"There." I said as I placed them in the center of the circular table."Now i'm going to get that door!"  
  
"Touch up your make up! Your eye shadows' not even."  
  
"Everyone's a critic,"I mumbled, but fixed it anyway.  
  
"Coming people at the door!" I waltzed down the hallway to the door singing. Smiling furiously, I flung open the door.  
  
"Hello! I'm Arieah," I chirped "You must be Mum's friends." I said to the blonde woman about mums' age and to her daughters, twins by the looks of it, I thought, they had identical blonde hair and the same blue green eyes, but I could tell they were different instantly.  
  
"Yes dear, your mother's told me all about you, I'm Alice Wakefeild. These are my daughters, Elizabeth," she said gesturing to the girl in the cheaked shirt and denim skirt "and Jessica." To the girl wearing her long hair loose and a slightly fitted top and purple skirt. "I'm sure you'll all get along quite well," she said with an easy smile "so where's your mother, we need to talk about these designs."  
  
"Oh, just go through to the patio Mrs Wakefield, she's out there." I said.  
  
"Where did you get your jeans?" Jessica blurted out "I mean, the purple and the studs are like so totally cool!"  
  
I grinned "In Britian. We lived there for about four months last year before we went back to Australia and now we're here. Would you like to sit down, just make yourselves at home." I said gesturing to the lounge, which was, amazingly, not covered in boxes.  
  
"Mom said you came from Australia," Elizabeth said "it must be so great to travel so much!"  
  
"Oh, no, not really, I mean the shopping's always great, (Jessica grinned at me) but you need to have a home. That's what we're here for. To have a home. And NOT MOVE." I called the last words louder so Mum could hear. To the twins I said "It must be so great to have a sister, I don't have any brothers or sisters at all."  
  
"Ha!" Jess said " You can have Steven, he's our older brother, and 'oh my god' is he so annoying!"  
  
"Are you going to Sweet Valley Middle School, Arieah, or Sweet Valley Junior High." Elizabeth asked, curious.  
  
"Umm," I said trying to remember "Which is the new one, cause that's the one I'm enrolled at. Pretty sure anyway."  
  
"That'd be Sweet Valley Junior High, that's where we go!" Jess exclaimed "You can catch the bus with us to school! I've been waiting for so long for someone to talk to on the bus for the whole way"- "Well, excuse me!" Elizabeth said, mock insulted –"well, other than you Lizzy, you're my sister, you don't count." Elizabeth stuck out her tongue at her mirror image and I giggled, thinking this is why Mum was happy with one child.  
  
"Besides," Jess conceded "you obviously know about clothes and fashion, so we'll have something to talk about."  
  
"Speaking of clothes," I said brightening up "What sort of clothes do we have to wear to school? I mean, I know it's not a uniform…that's what we had at my old school, what a drag, so I have like no idea what to wear."  
  
"What ever you want really," Lizzy said "Just don't turn up in a rabbit costume or something like that, you'll be fine."  
  
"Well," I said with a slightly worried expression "I would like to go shopping, to make sure I'm up to date with the fashion over here, I mean Aussie clothes are like so yesterday over here! Besides, I'd use any excuse to go for a shopping spree!"  
  
"Well, it is Saturday, why don't we go now?" Jess said, having a moment of genius "I'm free, and I really want to go and cheak out the new shoes."  
  
"Brilliant!" I exclaimed "How about you Liz?"  
  
"Well, I was going to go to Anna's place this afternoon, so you'll have to count me out on that one…maybe next time?" Liz replied.  
  
"Alright. I'd better go tell Mum where we're going, you'd better come with me Jess, I have no idea where I should tell her I'm going!" I said making my way into the kitchen.  
  
"Okay." Jess said and followed me, Lizzy trailing along after.  
  
Mum and Mrs Wakefield were sitting on the patio sipping tea, discussing the new interior designs, and our trip over.  
  
"I can't believe they didn't put it in luggage!" Mrs Wakefield was exclaiming  
  
"I know!" Mum replied, "it could have gotten broken for all they cared!"  
  
"Umm, Mum?" I said interrupting  
  
"What dear?" Mum said offhandedly, sipping her tea.  
  
"I'm going to go the mall with Jess, okay?" I glanced at my watch "it's 2 o'clock now…we'll be back by, about 5?" I glanced questioningly at Jess who nodded quickly.  
  
"That's fine, have you got your credit card?"  
  
"Yes Mum." I said, impatient to get moving  
  
"Well, off you go then."  
  
While I was talking to Mum, Jess was also debating with her own mother.  
  
"But pul-ease? Mum, I need to show her around, she doesn't know where the good shops are…"  
  
"Alright then, DON'T SPEND TOO MUCH." Mrs Wakefield caved.  
  
"Well, if no one minds, I'm going to head over to Anna's," Elizabeth said "great to meet you Arieah, hope Jess doesn't kill you with the shopping spree!" And excused herself.  
  
"I'll just grab my bag." I said, dashing upstairs. Flipping my long hair over my shoulder, I dug through my boxes and emerged from my room carrying a small silver bag on thin straps. 


	2. Chapter 2

Jessica  
  
"Oh my god!" Arieah exclaimed "What a great top!" she was pointing at a purple cap sleeved shirt.  
  
"Yeah, it's awesome hey," I said and trying not to boast I added "I've got it already." Arieah nodded and continued walking to the next shop in the mall. Arieah had just moved in across the road, Mom said, and she was pretty good company, as far as I could tell. I couldn't believe she was a model when Mom told us before they came, but once I saw her, I could understand! Right now, decked out in really cool clothes she was glancing over the equally cool clothes in Macey's, with her long dark blonde hair hanging perfectly over her shoulder.  
  
"How about this?" I said holding up a tan skirt.  
  
"Cool," Arieah said as she glanced over "on you, not for me…I prefer louder colours." She pulled out a knee length sea-green skirt in a glittery fabric. "More like this." She added it to her arm-full of clothes 'to try', as she called it.  
  
I mindlessly browsed over the clothes, not really looking at anything.  
  
"Hey Jess!" Arieah called from the otherside of the store in her British accent "I'm just going to try this stuff on alright?"  
  
"Sure thing…do you want some advice?" I asked, trying to be 'neighborly'.  
  
"Alright then." She said dashing into the dressing room.  
  
After about another three hours, we had gone to every shop the was worth going into in the entire mall, and Arieah's arms were full of bags, I only had my new shoes to show for our expedition.  
  
"Fancy a bite to eat?" Arieah asked me, clearly enjoying herself.  
  
"Ok," I said and we went to a coffee shop to get what Arieah considered to be a perfect snack (muffins and iced tea).  
  
"Hey Jessy."  
  
I looked up, suddenly to the voice that could only be one person's. "Lacey." I said coldly "I thought I told you not to call me that."  
  
"Sorr-eyy." She taunted, looking very snobby. "Who's your friend? Or is she related?" Lacey continued hauntyly.  
  
Why couldn't she ever leave me alone? I thought. I mean, why does she have to always turn up like this? As if at school it isn't enough!  
  
"She' has a name," Arieah said, startling me out of my glare. No one ever had the nerve to talk to Lacey like that on a first meeting.  
  
"And 'She' is named Arieah." Arieah thought about for a second and considering, said "Arieah Linh Renyolds to you."  
  
"Oh really," Lacey said, voice dripping with hate. "Well, I'll leave you two to your sickenly fattening food."  
  
Arieah gave her an arched look and raised an eyebrow "Off with you then."  
  
Lacey sort of growled and stalked off, forgetting to do her 'cool' walk.  
  
"Well!" I said turning to Arieah "She certainly isn't going to leave you alone."  
  
"Who, or what, was that?" Arieah asked laughingly.  
  
"That was Lacey Frells, the most popular girl at SVJH, and she's nasty to the people she likes, let alone the ones she hates." I said, not believing that Arieah would take this so lightly, afterall, she'd have had a lot of dealing with popularity.  
  
"What'd she do? Pay people?" Arieah said, eating the last of her muffin "I can tell we're going to get along famously." She grinned wickedly, and stood up. "Ready to go?"  
  
I nodded and got up, glad that this new girl was on my side. She'd show Lacey that being nasty wasn't everything.  
  
Instant messages exchanged between that night by Liz, Anna and Salvador.  
  
WakeE02: hey everyone  
  
Salthegreat: Hi!  
  
Anna0001: hi  
  
WakeE02: I've got a new neighbor!  
  
Anna0001: I know…you told me  
  
WakeE02: I know…I'm telling Sal…  
  
Salthegreat: amazing…people want to tell me stuff!  
  
Anna0001: :P  
  
Salthegreat: who is it liz?  
  
WakeE02: her names Arieah, my mom and her mom are friends. She comes from Australia  
  
Salthegreat: cool. She ok?  
  
WakeE02: yep. She's really nice, I think she'd get along with anyone.  
  
Anna0001: I can't believe its really Arieah Renyolds. THE Arieah.  
  
Salthegreat: I think I've heard of her before…why?  
  
WakeE02: she's a famous model. Although she didn't seem snobby or conceited at all.  
  
Salthegreat: amazing…a hot new girl in our little town, can things get better?  
  
Anna0001: for you, perhaps not, although she'd think you're an idiot.  
  
Salthegreat: me?! An idiot?! Never…  
  
WakeE02: well I gtg…see you guys on Monday!  
  
Elizabeth  
  
"Come on Lizzy," Jess's voice whined "Get ready…we have to get Arieah before school."  
  
I groaned. "So your telling me that you're already ready to go?" I called in disbelief. Jess is never ready on time, let alone early.  
  
"Yes I am your highness. So get. Ready!" I heard her steps go back down the stairs. I fixed up my hair, for the fifteenth time, glanced again in the mirror  
  
"Bad hair day…" I said to my reflection and tugged at my pony tail, that already had pieces coming out of it. I shrugged and ran down stairs. I wasn't supposed to be the prissy one, that was Jess's place.  
  
"Ok ok I'm ready," I called as I grabbed my bag and lunch money of the kitchen counter.  
  
"Good!" Jess said from the front door. "So am I!"  
  
We walked over to Arieah's place to wait for her. After not that long, she came bouncing out of the front door, long hair streaming behind her.  
  
"Good morning!" she said happily.  
  
"'morning," I said as we hopped on the bus. Jess and Arieah sat behind me and I tried to read my book and ignore their converstation.  
  
"I hope this is alright to wear to school," Arieah said as we sat down. She had been tugging and pulling at her bleached blue bell bottom jeans and sleeveless glittery bright yellow top.  
  
"It's fine." Jess replied "Very fashionable."  
  
They went on for ages talking about shopping malls, and clothes and even track, of which Arieah was apparently a long and short distance runner. When we finally got off the bus I sighed with relief. One bus trip with chatterboxes, over! I could so totally tell that this was not going to be a good day.  
  
We all walked into school, Arieah disappeared off to the office to find where her classes were and I went to my locker.  
  
"Come on you stupid piece of metal," I threatened it, trying to put in my lock code for the third time unsuccessfully. I wacked it with my fist. A little too hard. "Ow ow ow." I said cradling my hand "Stupid locker." I kicked it this time, getting very annoyed.  
  
"Well well, this is a new form of stress management I haven't heard of yet, locker beating." I turned to face Blue. I blushed, wishing I hadn't looked like such an idiot around him.  
  
"Hi Blue." I said, trying to stop my blushing and my throbbing hand from aching.  
  
"Having a bad day already?" he said sympathetically "I'll see ya at volleyball training this afternoon, I've gota go right now!" he dashed off.  
  
BRING!  
  
The bell went and I hadn't even opened my locker yet. I tried again. "Yahoo!" I exclaimed as it finally opened. I only just made it into homeroom on time for my name to be called.  
  
"Elizabeth Wakefeild," Mrs Smythe said  
  
"Here." I said, trying to catch my breath. 


	3. Chapter 3

Arieah  
  
"Grr." I muttered. I was trying to open my new locker at lunch time, sick of having an aching back from the weight of my books, and not having much luck. I mean, my first day at a new school, in a new country, and everything is different, why couldn't just the lockers be the same? I was just about to wack my locker again, when a voice startled me.  
  
"Can I help you?" I just stood there for a second, fist poised over my locker, fingernails digging into my palm. I looked over at the source of the voice. It was a guy, pretty good looking, just a little taller than myself. He looked at me questionly, waiting for an answer.  
  
"oh, yeah, sorry!" I said quickly, finally understanding why he was staring at me "That'd be great, I'm new here, that's all. I am perfectly capable of opening a locker!"  
  
He grinned at me, a seemingly easy gesture for him. I could feel myself melting.  
  
"I'm Blue." He said  
  
"I'm Arieah," I replied "and you don't look very blue to me!" he looked at me startled, probably thinking I was making fun of him "Just a joke…I'm not that good at humour, I have the worst puns…" I said, trying to make myself not sound like such an idiot. He smiled again and then showed me how to use the locker. Amazing, my first day and I've already found a cute guy. I mean, I'm not normally this lucky!  
  
"Hey," he said after he opened my locker for me "do you play any sport? You look very tanned that's all."  
  
"Yeah, I do…I run and play just about anything else!" I said, happy that I could get rid of the heavy books.  
  
"how about volleyball? One of the girls from our team quit, would you like to join? I mean, you'd have to try out and all," he said  
  
"I know, it's fine. Whens the next training session?"  
  
"This afternoon after school in the gym."  
  
"I'll be there." I said smiling. "Well, I better head off," I said gathering my books for the next classes "it'll take me awhile to find where I'm going!"  
  
"You'll be fine. See you this afternoon."  
  
"Bye!" I called as I walked away, grinning to myself. A new sport, and a new guy…could things get better?  
  
  
  
Note passed from Lacey to Kristen in English  
  
Hey,  
  
Have you met that new girl yet? Ariah? She's a cow. Don't talk to her.  
  
~Lacey  
  
  
  
Anna  
  
As I stepped into my history classroom, I did the traditional shudder that I always do when I go to history. I hate it. Somethings are better off forgotten, I say. I snagged a desk at the back of the room, next to Toby and an empty desk.  
  
"Ready to work on acting interested Anna?" he said, leaning over to talk to me. I laughed. Toby hates history almost as much as I do, and it was good to have some one that could make me laugh. Other than Sal.  
  
"Hey," Toby said, staring at the door "who's that?"  
  
I glanced over, "Oh, that's Liz's new neighbor, Arieah."  
  
The dark blonde girl was talking to our teacher.  
  
"Wow." Toby seemed awestruck. "Wow." It's funny how a pretty girl can make guys go all blah and have no knowledge of the English language. I shook my head and waved my hand infront of Toby's face to try and break his stare.  
  
"Don't you know it's impolite to stare?" I asked tiredly. I had been up way too long last night. Suddenly Toby's eyes widened even further and he started to try and say something. I looked over in the direction of his gaze. Arieah was sitting next to me.  
  
"Hi!" she chirped.  
  
"Hello," I said, slightly startled "I'm Anna, and this…this is Toby."  
  
"I'm Arieah."  
  
Mr Henderson called for silence, and we shut up. Liz was right. I thought as Mr Henderson raved on about some war in ancient times. She is nice, although I could do without all the guys going gaga over her.  
  
Blue  
  
"Hey Blue!" I turned to the sound of my name being called. Liz jogged up to me. "Can I walk with you to training?"  
  
"Sure," I said "it's a free hallway." She giggled at that and tried to straighten her hair out flat. Looked like a bad hair day, which was unusual for Liz, she's normally really neat and pretty. I was going to say something, but then thought better of it. Girls don't like being told their hair's messy. We reached the gym and most of the team was already there.  
  
"Hi Liz!" a girls voice called from behind us.  
  
"Hi Arieah, what are you doing here?" Liz asked, a little snappily. The pretty new girls' face looked hurt for a moment and then returned to her normal happy face.  
  
"Not much, just trying out for the volleyball team." She said smiling. She really is pretty, I thought, she could win anyone's heart over in a second.  
  
Liz gave her a skeptical look "In that?"  
  
Arieah looked down at her clothes and then at what Liz was wearing.  
  
"I'm sure I'll be able to play in my jeans," she said "I didn't know that I had to carry a change of clothes everywhere."  
  
Before Liz could get cranky and snap, as she seemed to be doing a lot, Leaf came in. Arieah quickly introduced herself and training got under way. Arieah really could play, mean, some people can play volleyball, and look like they can play it, but some look like they were meant to play. That's how Arieah looked.  
  
"Good serve Arieah!" Leaf exclaimed as Arieah served perfectly over arm for the third time in a row, each time scoring a point.  
  
"Yeah good going!" I called, trying to keep up team spirit. From the otherside of the court Liz gave me a scathing bad look. What's with her? I thought I was just complimenting some one else for a change. So what if there's a new pretty girl at school, she might even be prettier than Liz. 


	4. Chapter 4

Instant Messages sent between Anna and Liz that night.  
  
WakeE02: hey anna  
  
Anna0001: hi liz…you ok?  
  
WakeE02: yeah…sorta  
  
Anna0001: what's up?  
  
WakeE02: nothing much, just Arieah  
  
Anna0001: but she's really nice, I met her in history.  
  
WakeE02: I know…I shouldn't really be annoyed with her  
  
Anna0001: what happened?  
  
WakeE02: nothing really, just Blue was all over her at volleyball training.  
  
Anna0001: maybe he was just being nice  
  
WakeE02: I don't think so Anna, he couldn't take his eyes off her  
  
Anna0001: don't worry, toby was exactly the same. It's just cause she's really pretty  
  
WakeE02: so? I thought he liked me though, now she came along and wreaked everything…  
  
Anna0001: oh.  
  
Arieah's Diary  
  
I can't believe it. After school, and after volleyball, this really cute guy asked me out. His name's Blue and he's so cool! He was like: "Hey Arieah," and I was like: "yes?" and then he blushed and sorta ran all over his words so it sounded like this: "doyouwanttogotothemovieswithmemaybeontheweekendorsomething?" and I was like: "Sorry, I can't." Then he sort looked all sad and stuff, so I said I'd go as a friend, so he didn't feel too bad. I would have said: "Yes! I'll go now!" if my new friend Lizzy didn't like him. I mean, she never said anything, but I could tell. I don't really think she likes me that much anymore cause Blue was paying me all the attention at training that he probably pays her, so I'm guessing! Well, hope things get better!  
  
Jess  
  
"Jessica!" Steven called up the stairs "Phone!"  
  
"Who is it?" I called back  
  
"I don't know, if you want me to find out your going to have to hire a secretary."  
  
I groaned, Steven was obviously attempting that elusive humour thing. I ran down stairs and grabbed the phone out of his hand.  
  
"Hello," I said into the receiver  
  
"Hi Jess, it's me, Arieah."  
  
"Hi! Did you have fun at volleyball? Liz told me you went." I said, making motions at Steven for him to go away and leave me alone.  
  
"Yeah, it was cool," the chirpy voice on the line said "only I don't think Lizzy enjoyed me being there."  
  
"Oh, why do you say that?" I said, trying to sound surprised, when infact I knew all about why Liz wasn't too happy  
  
"Oh, just I think she likes that dude Blue, and yeah."  
  
"And yeah what?"  
  
"He asked me out."  
  
"What?!" I exclaimed, this part I had not heard!  
  
"yeah, after training he came over and asked me out. But I said no." Arieah said sounding sad "I know Lizzy likes him, and I can't steal her guy."  
  
"Woah." I said, still trying to let it sink in. I didn't think that Lizzy had heard this part, or she'd be really cranky.  
  
"I'm still, sorta going, just as a friend though." Arieah said.  
  
"Ok," I replied hoping I didn't sound as shocked as I felt.  
  
  
  
Lacey  
  
"Don't worry! I'll be back after school on time to babysit." I said for the millionth time as my step monster dropped me off at school. I jumped out, wanting to escape "I'll be there. Good. Bye!" and I slammed the door. She drove off looking irritated. Oh well.  
  
"Hey Lacey!" Kristen called to me.  
  
"Hi." I replied and began walking into the school  
  
"What's wrong?" Kristen asked me "You look more irritated than normal." I stuck my tounge out at her "My step mom is forcing me to babysit again."  
  
"oh, that's not that bad, there is worse things you know!" Kristen said as we got to our lockers "hey, is that that new girl?" she asked, pointing. I looked over.  
  
"Yeah," I said "I mean, how stupid is she? Wearing a top like that to school," I said, irritated that she would even come within a five mile radius of me. She was wearing a bright blue top with the back covered in crissy crossy straps. I mean, so what if she's a model? She is So Annoying…I don't know why, she just is.  
  
"I think it's a cool top," Kristen said, ignoring my bad mood as normal "and I like that knee length leather skirt. I wonder where she got it?"  
  
"Probably from a 'wonderful shop in one of those wonderful countries she comes from.'" I replied and slammed my locker shut.  
  
"Wow, someone's in a petty mood today," Kristen taunted "You've met her like once? How can you hate her already?"  
  
I gave her a dirty look "It's a mutual agreement."  
  
Salvador  
  
"Hmm." I said as I poked my cafeteria lunch to see if it was infact alive.  
  
"What's the verdict Proffessor deSalle?" Liz said as she sat down at the table "Eatable? Or a disaster from the x-files?"  
  
"I have no idea." I said as Anna sat down carrying her paper bag of lunch.  
  
"So you decided to play it safe, hey Anna," I said "Could you spare me anything?"  
  
"No way Sal, you should of known that Friday's are the cafeteria's worst days." She said opening her lunch.  
  
"Fine." I said, trying to sound pitiful. "So what's everyone doing tomorrow?"  
  
If I couldn't eat, I could at least talk.  
  
"Nothing. Hey do you guys want to go to see that new movie at the mall tomorrow night? It's the first session of it in town." Liz suggested. Apparently, she was over her bad mood.  
  
"Sure." I said and Anna nodded cause she was in mid-chew.  
  
"I hope that tastes good Anna." I said giving her my 'puppy dog eyes' look.  
  
"Have an apple Sal." Liz said and rolled one over to me.  
  
"Thanks," I said biting into it "at least someone'll feed me." Anna just gave me an unconcerned look and continued to eat her peanut butter sandwich.  
  
Arieah  
  
"Does this place ever serve anything that doesn't look like dog food?" I muttered to myself as I attempted to get some thing to eat that didn't look like it had been sitting there for days. This is so gross, I thought, and this is supposed to be a casserole? I don't think so! I mean, in Australia, we knew how to cook at least.  
  
"No." a voice said from behind me "sometimes we get cat food. It's better." I turned to see the speaker.  
  
"Hi," the thin girl said "I'm Bethel."  
  
"Arieah," I replied "How do they expect us athletes to get any nutrition with this arrange of food?" Bethel laughed and exclaimed "You're an athlete? You look like you'd be better off painting nails, if you know what I mean."  
  
"Looks can be deceiving." I said "And I can run well enough."  
  
"I'll see you at track training sometime then I suppose." She said grabbing an orange "Who're you sitting with at lunch?"  
  
"Oh, Jessica Wakefeild I think today."  
  
"Well, you're going to have to put up with me for a little longer then, I sit with her too."  
  
We moved to 'our' table, (where Jess was sitting). She looked up and smiled.  
  
"Hi guys, I see you've met."  
  
"Uh huh." I said as I sat down. I instantly didn't feel like eating. I don't know if it was the smell of the casserole that did it, or the thought of going out with a really cute guy as a friend when my friend liked him. Headache city. I groaned and pulled at my hair.  
  
"What's wrong Area?" Bethel asked, opening her milk carton.  
  
"It's Arieah," I said, rubbing my forehead.  
  
"She's having a crisis," Jess explained for me " she's going out with Blue"- Bethel tried to butt in, but Jess was too quick "only as a friend, and she's really annoyed, cause she won't just go out with him cause Lizzy likes him."  
  
Bethel widened her eyes. "That is a problem."  
  
"Tell me about it?!" I exclaimed, looking through my bag for an asprin. Why did things always have to be so annoying?  
  
"Why don't you just ignore Elizabeth and go out with him?" Bethel asked.  
  
"Because, she's my friend, and I can't take her guy." I reasoned.  
  
"What if he want's to be taken?" Bethel countered.  
  
"Then he has to talk to her." I said, finding an asprin and dry swallowing. I looked around the half full cafeteria. Almost instantly I spotted him, walking back from the lunch line. I groaned again. Even from this distance, I could tell his blue eyes were a lovely shade of blue. Argh. 


	5. Chapter 5...this is not the end! more to...

Anna  
  
"Hey, Anna! Wait up!" Salvador called to me as I tried to escape from school as soon as possible.  
  
"Fine." I said, hitching up my backpack that was full with study books for my massive exam on Monday. A whole weekend to study…oh great…at least I had the movie to break it up.  
  
"So, you going straight home?" Sal said when he caught up.  
  
"Nah," I said, considering a slightly less boring afternoon than the one I had planned. "d'you want to come to the mall with me for a walk? Then we can cheak out the session time for tomorrow night."  
  
Sal scrunched up his face in exaggerated thought. "Sure, why not? Onwards to the mall!" he started marching off and this time I had to run to catch up. It was so great to have so many different friends these days. I mean, I always had Sal, for ages, but Lizzy and Larrissa and Toby were also really good friends too.  
  
"Ah," Salvador said as we walked into the mall. "Air-conditioned comfort. Aren't you glad we never have snow?"  
  
"What's snow got to do with anything?" I giggled, sometimes Sal came up with the strangest things!  
  
"Hey! There's Arieah!" I said, pointing over at the shop ahead. I was sure it was her, I mean, she's not that easy to confuse with someone else!  
  
"Really? Introduce me, I haven't met her yet." Sal said  
  
"Ok ok, Arieah!" I called to her. She looked around, confused. Then she spotted me.  
  
"Hi Anna!" We walked hurriedly up to her.  
  
"Whatcha doing this afternoon?" I asked, making Sal wait for his introduction.  
  
"Just some idle shopping. Who's this?" She asked  
  
"Oh, Arieah, this is Salvador. Sal, Arieah." I said.  
  
"Hey Arieah," Jessica's voice came from inside the shop Arieah was looking in.  
  
"Who'd you find?"  
  
"Anna and Salvador." Jess came out to see.  
  
"Ah, Anna and Sal-the-dork. What are you guys here for?"  
  
"Just cheaking stuff out." I said, letting Sal calm down. He and Jess don't get along at all.  
  
"See you guys later!" I said, making an exit.  
  
  
  
Arieah  
  
"ARGH!" I groaned loudly and fell into my bed. Well, it was more like 'my bed with my entire wardrobe all over it'. I looked up at the ceiling. Oh. My. God. I had exactly two hours until Blue was going to pick me up and I still didn't have an out fit to wear. "Why, why, why," I said to myself through gritted teeth "does this have to be so hard? I know what to wear on dates. But then again, this isn't a date date, it's a friend date. Why does it have to be a friend date?" I wacked my pillow. I sighed and sat up. I had to find something. Ok, I thought, pacing around my room, what would I wear if I was really going out, (I chucked all of those clothes back in the wardrobe). That didn't help. I still had almost a full bed of clothes.  
  
I picked up a yellow top. "Nope. Too flashy. I'm supposed to be turning him off." I murmured to myself. Finally, I picked out my favourite outfit. Not point in looking like garbage when you could at least look ok I say! I put on my black leather knee length skirt and my silver sparkly singlet top with the slightly thicker straps. On with the silver square hoops, brush my hair down, put on some makeup, and there's an outfit for you.  
  
"Arieah!" My mum's voice came up the stairway "Some one here for you!"  
  
"Coming!" I called back, grabbing my handbag and purse. Carefully, I walked down stairs, trying to to kill myself in my heeled slides. Thankfully Blue and me got away before Mum could go into the whole "Aww, aren't they sweet?" thing. He even opened the door for me.  
  
"Hey Arieah." Leaf said from the front seat.  
  
"Hey." I replied, my heart beating. I hope I didn't say anything embarrassing, because I wasn't exactly too worried about making talk. Actually, I didn't even realize it when we pulled up at the mall. We walked up through the mall quickly, the cinemas were pretty busy, so we couldn't really talk that much cause we were pushing through people, but that was fine with me. The less small talk the better.  
  
"There we go." Blue said as we slid into our seats and handed me the popcorn. I smiled at him, wishing that this was over with. Why did his eyes have to be so gorgeous? Would he just stop looking at me so I could stop these stupid butterflys? He was saying something wasn't he.  
  
"Hmm?" I said, hoping he wasn't going to take me for an airhead.  
  
"I said, have you played volleyball before?" he said grinning at me.  
  
"Oh, umm, yeah I have…in Australia for awhile." I said. "What about you?"  
  
"I've been playing for awhile," he said thinking thoughtfully "practically forever I think, Leaf taught me first."  
  
"I love your names." I blurted out "I mean, Leaf, that's a pretty unusual name." I was totally blushing, this was not good!  
  
"yeah I suppose…"Blue said and the lights began to dim. Thank god. At least now he couldn't see me looking like a beetroot. I couldn't say what the movie was like, I mean, I wasn't paying much attention. Just trying to figure out how to get through the rest of the 'date' without acting stupid. I sighed and lent back. God. It was freezing in there with that airconditioning on. They must have had it on 'Artic Ice' or something. Finally the movie was over and the lights came back on again.  
  
"So," Blue said turning to me "do you want to grab something to eat? Or we can just go, if your having such a bad time. I'll just call Leaf."  
  
This was so hard, he was being so sweet.  
  
"Umm, could we get a coffee? I'm dying of thirst." I said hesitantly.  
  
"Sure." He said and led the way to the coffee shop. We sat down and ordered. Nervously I drummed my fingers on the polished wood table top lightly.  
  
"Wow, you sure are in need of that coffee." Blue commented  
  
"Nah, not really," I replied, stopping my drumming "it's just a habit."  
  
He smiled at me again. Would he ever stop doing that? It was making it very hard. I must have cringed, cause he looked at me concernedly  
  
"Are you ok Arieah? You seem a little unhappy or something."  
  
"I'm fine," I said "the movie was really good."  
  
"I didn't really think so," he said frowning "it was too fake."  
  
"Well, I wasn't really watching it," I said, deciding to tell the truth "but what I saw was ok."  
  
"And what was that?"  
  
"The start, and the credits."  
  
He cracked up laughing at me. Well, this was better than just flat out lying, why not try and make this seem pleasant? We drank our coffee, well I drank my coffee and Blue drank his milkshake and then he rang Leaf to come and get us.  
  
I shivered. We were standing outside the mall and a cold breeze was blowing, I instantly wished I had worn a jacket with my outfit. I lent up against the brick wall.  
  
"How longs it going to be before Leaf gets here?" I asked.  
  
"Are you having that badder time that you just want to go home?" Blue asked, standing infront of me.  
  
"No, I'm not, you're a great guy…" I said trailing off because he was looking deep into my eyes. I thought I was going to faint.  
  
"And you're a great girl." He said, leaning closer to me. Everything was happening in slow motion, his face was moving closer inch by inch. Then it happened. One of the best moments in my life. He finally kissed me. He drew away.  
  
"Thank you." I said instantly, and felt my cheeks blush. What a stupid thing to say.  
  
"That's ok." Blue said softly, moving in for another kiss. This time I kissed back.  
  
"Thank you." He said and luckily Leaf pulled up right at that second. I have no idea what I would have said if he hadn't. Oh my god. I totally stuffed up. I was ment to be going out as a friend. That job description didn't have kissing in it, argh, I had made a massive mess. How could I face Lizzy now?  
  
  
  
A/N Ok, this isn't the ending of the story…just where I've gotten up to so far…there's a dance to come, with some interesting couples…just to try and keep ya's all interested! Read and Review guys and gals! It's fun, believe me it is!  
  
~Katie 


	6. Chapter 6...still not the end!

1 Elizabeth  
  
"Lizzy! Get out of bed-we have to catch the bus remember!" Jess yelled. I rolled over, no way did I want to go to school. And I definitely didn't want to see Arieah. Not since Saturday night. The mental image of her in Blues' arms replayed in my mind over and over, it just wouldn't go away. Why did I have to walk out to Mom's car at that exact moment? I thought angrily, realizing I would eventually have to get up and get ready for school.  
  
"Liz!" Jess's impatient voice yelled again.  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I yelled back at her, rolling out of bed. I threw on whatever my hands touched first and pulled my hair into a low pony tail. I'd have to do without breakfast or I'd surely miss the bus. When I finally emerged downstairs, Jess stood by the door, ready to go. This isn't the way it's supposed to be, I thought, realizing the stupidity of the situation Jess is meant to be the one who gets all cut up over guys, not me… I took my lunch money from the bench and ran out to the bus following Jess.  
  
Arieah was there, waiting. I glared at her. How could she just stand there, looking like a magazine cover? She was wearing a knee length brown leather skirt and a white peasant top, her sun browned shoulder in plain view. She was leaning against the bus stop pole, fiddling with the ends of her loose dark blonde hair. As we got closer I noticed she'd put thin purple streaks here and there in her hair.  
  
"Hi Jessica!" she said, looking up as we walked up "Hi Lizzy, how are you guys? Ready for another long week of school?"  
  
Jess wrinkled her nose and groaned "I'm never ready to go back to school after the weekend."  
  
I stood silent.  
  
"Are you alright Liz?" Arieah said, concerned. I glared at her. She didn't realize. She didn't know how much pain she was causing me just by being there.  
  
"Of course I'm alright Arieah. I'm glad you had such a good time with Blue on the weekend. Didn't you tell me you weren't going out with him?!" I accused, snapping.  
  
Her face turned downcast, and she actually looked sad at what I was saying. Good. Blue was mine, or at least he was going to be before Ms. Perfect Model showed up.  
  
"Lizzy, I only went out with him as a friend," she began, but I cut her off.  
  
"Yeah, and kissing him was just a 'friendly' thing to do too." Jess's eyes widened. Obviously Arieah hadn't told her either.  
  
"Look Elizabeth," she began, her good-girl cover falling away "whatever you think ok, it wasn't my fault, he kissed me. I had every intention of going out with him as a friend, I was trying to help you."  
  
"You've done way enough already." I snapped, stalking off to get on the bus.  
  
  
  
2 Jess  
  
"What's wrong," I said, tailing Arieah all the way down the hall. After her little incounter with Lizzy at the bus stop this morning, she'd refused to tell me anything.  
  
"Arieah, you've gotta tell me."  
  
She continued to walk and I had to jog to catch up to her long strides.  
  
"It's nothing Jess, just leave it." She said offhandledly, turning into the girls bathrooms. She dumped her bag down at the sinks infront of the mirrors and pulled out her eyeshadow.  
  
"It's got to have been something," I said, pulling out my own mascara "Lizzy doesn't just crack at everyone for no reason normally."  
  
She applied the light green colour to her eyelids carefully, pretending to put all her concentration on getting both eyes even. I could tell, or at least guess, that she'd be able to do her makeup in her sleep, after all she was a model.  
  
"So you think she's right for just snapping at me like that." Arieah said, snapping the compact shut, pulling out her brown mascara.  
  
"Well, if you'd just tell me what she was upset about, perhaps I'd be able to say whether she was right or not." I reasoned, hoping that she'd come out with it.  
  
"Fine…" she said, rubbing off a stray fleck of mascara that'd flicked onto her skin  
  
"I went out with Blue on Saturday night, like I said I was, but only as a friend. But at the end of the date he kissed me."  
  
"Oh,…" I said, considering "that was only once but, couldn't you have just said that he didn't realize you were only going out as friends?"  
  
"Twice." She said, finishing off her left eye.  
  
"Twice what?"  
  
"He kissed me twice. That's the problem. And I didn't exactly try and stop him." She began applying lip gloss. Finally finished, she turned to me and shrugged "I don't know what to do now."  
  
"So you like him," I said, trying to come to a good conclusion. Suddenly I realized why Lizzy was so upset, this kind of thing normally happened to me, not her.  
  
"Yeah. Blue's great."  
  
"Well, Lizzy wasn't exactly anymore than friends with him, so I don't think there's any problem with you going out with him."  
  
"Yes there is," she said as we walked out of the bathrooms. "She wanted to be more than friends with him and I took him before she had a chance."  
  
3 Lacey  
  
"…and you all need to pair off," my drama teacher was saying. I rolled my eyes and turned to face Kristin. And was just looking at an empty chair. "Damnit," I muttered "who'll I be stuck with today?"  
  
Mr Hayden tapped on my desk and I looked up, realizing that everyone else was partnered off already. "You'll have to go with Arieah, Lacey," he said and at that moment I hated him "be nice."  
  
"As if I wouldn't," I said scowling at him as Arieah came to sit next to me in Kristin's empty seat.  
  
He walked away and I was stuck with the stupid new model girl. I yawned loudly, hoping to deter her from thinking that I was honestly going to talk to her.  
  
"Look Lacey," she said, startling me. Normally this display of arrogance stopped even Kristin from talking to me. Obviously she didn't have much sense.  
  
"I don't particularly want to talk to you either, but we have work to do so can we just cut this stupid 'fazing me in' thing and get to it?" she demanded.  
  
"God," I said, hiding my surprise "why made you so crabby, what happened did you like get fired from a modeling job or something."  
  
"No," she said snappily "I'm not in America to model. I've done that for five years, I need a break. I'm here to concentrate on running and school work, not that I can see why it's any of your business."  
  
My eyes widened before I could stop them. I groaned inwardly, now she'd have known she got to me. Damnit. "What ever," I said, flipping the sheet of work over "you do the first six questions and I'll do the last six." 


	7. Chapter 7...nowhere near the end...tears...

A/N: I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far, your reviews are lovely and I'm just glad other people are enjoying reading this fic as much as I'm enjoying writing it!  
  
  
  
Anna  
  
This day was looking bad. And it'd just got worse. The 'wonderful' student council had conspired against me…we were have a dance. Next Friday. Have I ever mentioned I hate dances?  
  
"Anna!" I turned around quickly, hoping I wasn't going to run into anyone in the crowed hall.  
  
"What?" I said impatiently as Toby jogged to catch up. I was late for English, and not in the mood to talk to anyone.  
  
"You going to go to the dance?" he said, juggling his books that were on the verge of falling all over the floor. Was everyone worried about the stupid dance? Argh.  
  
"Hell no," I replied, being to make for the direction of my English classroom "why would I do that?"  
  
"Umm," he began, looking at his feet, making me feel nervous "well, you see…I've got this cousin in town for that week, and he's kinda going to want to come…would you go with him?" he blurted out finally.  
  
"Oh," that was it… "I suppose so…you are Larissa are going together I suppose."  
  
"Yeah," he grinned at me "who ever would've thought she'd go out with me?" Toby walked off to his class.  
  
"Yeah…whoever would have…" I mumbled, staring after him.  
  
  
  
Arieah  
  
I slammed my locker shut with a fair bit of force. My day had been garbage. And that was putting it lightly. I needed to get out. Anywhere. I'd told Jessica that I couldn't go to track training, so at least I wouldn't have to talk to anyone on the bus. After all Lizzy was still very annoyed…  
  
When I got off the bus I dropped in home and shoved my bag inside the door and just started walking. The peace and quiet was great. I tried to think of nothing. But, as usual, it wouldn't work. There was always something to think about. Whether it was how stupid Elizabeth was acting, or how confused I felt about what I was going to do about the 'Blue situation', or even something more saddening, like Dad being dead. There was always something there.  
  
I tried to scuff my shoes as I walked, but found I couldn't. Walking properly had just been drilled into me one too many times. After walking blindly for about ten minutes I came to a park and sat down on a bench under a tree. The place was almost deserted, school had been over for awhile now, and all the school kids had gone home to their parents. Tears came to my eyes. I could remember the last time I'd gone home to Mum and Dad. It felt like such a long time ago.  
  
And it was, really. I was eight. I'd thought the world was perfect and that nothing bad could ever happen. I'd just got my first commercial job and Dad had been so proud. Every time I'd come on TV he'd cheer out loud and give me a hug and tell me what a fantastic little girl I was. The tears streamed now, and the memories wouldn't stop coming.  
  
Then there was the day of the funeral. I hadn't been able to cry that day. Every day other than that one I'd been able to cry for a horribly long time, but that was the one I didn't. Mum had yelled at me, partially still in shock of Dad's death, and partially because I was being such a pain. I wore my flowered dress, despite Mum's efforts to make me wear black. Dad had bought me that dress and I was going to wear it, no matter what she said.  
  
I could see the coffin being laid into the ground before my eyes again. I shuddered, and for the first time, realized it was raining. Sighing, I stood up and started walking in the direction that I hoped was home.  
  
Every thing was so messed up. I'd just got to Sweet Valley and everything was supposed to be perfect. It would be, that is if Lizzy wasn't so angry at me.  
  
  
  
Blue  
  
(from Blue's English book)  
  
Homework: Write a reflective poem based on experience.  
  
Like a rainbow, you appeared to me,  
  
Perfect, sunny, it was clear to see,  
  
It looked so good and yet I still rue,  
  
I wish I could see what I mean to you.  
  
  
  
A/N: Please read and review people…longer chapter next time (in a rush). 


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